


not for the first time (i'd never dreamed it'd take this long)

by Kiri_Kaitou_Clover



Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games), 原神 | Genshin Impact (Video Game)
Genre: Post-Kingdom Hearts III, Reincarnation, Timeline What Timeline, Will follow Genshin's story, not re:mind compliant, tags will be added with future chapters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-14
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:15:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27558946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiri_Kaitou_Clover/pseuds/Kiri_Kaitou_Clover
Summary: Not for the first time, he travels the worldsNot for the first time, he's separated from the ones he cares forBut maybe in Teyvat...Those lives will cross once more.
Relationships: Kairi/Riku/Sora (Kingdom Hearts), Kong | Aether & Ying | Lumine (Genshin Impact)
Comments: 25
Kudos: 72





	1. awaken, awaken

**Author's Note:**

> I had this on my tumblr for the past month and this was technically the first Genshin Impact fic I wrote. That said, this version has a few minor changes and additions. I have maybe two other chapters in the works. This one's gonna be ongoing and will be updated as Genshin's story continues to update.
> 
> Also as a side note: I have a habit of writing reincarnation fics so this idea even showing up is kinda par for the course for me at this point.
> 
> (This fic is reliant on the fact that Aether's JP name is Sora.)

Aether woke up from the endless void he'd been in screaming.

Screaming.

Alone.

And his last memory, grasping uselessly towards his sister.

~~His Light~~

Snatched away from him right in front of his eyes.

_It wasn’t the first time it happened and his screams turned to mournful sobs as Sora's memories returned to him.  
_

* * *

Sand and sea was familiar. 

Comforting if only for a moment.

But it reminded him too much of what he had lost, what he had once experienced.

Unable to take his hand, unable to stop him before he went too far down in the Darkness and drowned.

Unable to reach her hand, and to save her he’d sacrificed his existence for her Light to continue existing.

No longer a trio, for he had given his life for theirs.

And he had left them both with the memory of his death.

His soul had wandered the endless sea and sky for so long, before it had been dragged down and reborn.

He had a new Light now. A new other half.

Another loved one to loose because he was _useless._

Unable to take her hand when she needed it most.

Unable to protect her.

He awakened the memories of his past far too late and the powers he'd gained in this life were lost.

(Aether felt Darkness in his Heart but he knew it would always be there. The doubt. The hate. The self-loathing. The loneliness. The despair.)

* * *

Speaking to Paimon, whatever she was, had helped.

It helped lift a weight off his shoulder, being able to talk about what happened.

(Not of his first life. He knew how time worked differently between Worlds. He had no idea how long it had been since he’d erased himself.)

But Paimon snapped him out of it.

Got him doing something other than survive on the shores of the beach of this World.

Got him moving, eager to learn the truths of this World.

Eager to find his sister, his new Light.

His journey would be a little less lonely with Paimon with him.

"Wait for me, Lumine. I'm coming to find you."

…

…

…

…

“It’s a big World you know. Are you sure he’s here?”

“Her Heart led her here and I trust her. We’ve gone too long without a hint of him. Anything will do.”

“We’ll find him and bring him back.”

“Or help him out of whatever trouble he’s got himself in. You know how he is.”

“… I wonder if he remembers us.”

“… he will. Don’t worry. You two are connected, after all.”

"Don't you mean 'we' _,_ Riku? He won't like you trying to exclude yourself."

"Then 'we' had better find him soon, Kairi, or our trio will never be complete."


	2. lock-pick

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> somehow i ended up writing the silliest things
> 
> impromptu but it works as a second chapter.
> 
> Have some Sora!Aether dealing with chests :)

Wandering the surroundings of Starfell Lake was honestly relaxing. 

Aether hadn't really dared venture too far past the waypoint he'd found near the cliffs at first, still reeling from his loss and still dealing with his newly returned memories. That said, he knew there were monsters.

(Or what seemed like monsters. Even among Heartless and Nobodies, he knew there were exceptions to what seemed like the mindless.)

But with some of those monsters and their encampments came _chests_.

And Paimon, much to Aether's amusement, loved treasure.

"Aether, Aether! They have _treasure!_ " She squealed as she flitted around the wooden chest they'd found. "I mean, it's a just basic one but still!"

"What do you think will be inside, Paimon?" He asked. "I haven't been treasure hunting all that much in my trips so far, and you know this world the best between the two of us."

And really, that was one thing he missed about being able to explore worlds for as long as he pleased, now that he thought about it. He and Lumine had rarely ever stayed in one world for long, so looking for the hidden nooks and crannies for treasure never did happen. 

"Hmmm, from what I remember other people saying, there should be things like Mora, weapons, and artefacts," She informed as she tugged on the chest. "I've never opened one of these on my own before though! How do people do it?!"

Aether laughed, and knelt down next to the chest. He hadn't really tried what he was about to do, but after all the years of traveling and honing his magic in his current life, he instinctively knew it would work. Feeling the power of the Keyblade just beneath his skin and drawing it forth, he placed his hand on the lock itself... and breathed a sigh of relief as he heard the telltale click, and Paimon, still tugging on the chest, yelped as it flipped open and sent her flying.

Inside was just as Paimon suspected. Some gold coins that were the currency of the world (it still made Aether blinked when he found Mora rather than Munny in his pockets), a sword, and small little trinkets. 

"What was that! Did you have a lock-pick on you or something?" Paimon squeaked, having recovered from her impromptu flight, "I mean not that I saw anything in your hands but, was that _magic_? I thought you said you lost your powers?!"

"I did loose my powers, but not _this one_ ," Aether chuckled. "A bit hard to remove a power that is linked to the Heart of a person, really. I can't do much with it though. Just unlocking and locking things."

And he really did wish to keep it as just that. Summoning the Keyblade itself attracted trouble, really. But just the smaller, inherent powers of the Keyblade? From this one test, it would be _easy_.

He was not using the magic he once had though. He had no idea how it would react to this world's own magic, and he had no intention of messing up that badly. Him and Lumine being chased out from a world because they had used an entirely different form of magic had been once enough thank you. 

Aether shuddered at the memory.

"A human lock-pick!" Paimon exclaimed with stars in her eyes, her mind clearly wandering to the amount of treasure they'd be able to collect with his power. 

And Aether burst out laughing. 

Trust his new companion to have a one track mind.

It was nice though.

He hoped his time in Teyvat would continue to be this relaxed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick explanation: I would like to think that having a Keyblade summoned isn't really necessary for unlocking chests. The power is inherent to the Keyblade itself, but the hc I'm using here is that it isn't necessary for Sora to actually summon it to use its ability to unlock since that aspect is more utility than anything. That said, if it is a metaphorical lock/seal such as the Keyhole of World Hearts or to the Hearts of others, then yes, it is necessary for him to summon it.
> 
> As another side note, if this Sora's a bit wiser and smarter, I'm actually pulling from a God/Immortal!Outlanders Theory for this. There is a lot of evidence towards Aether and Lumine actually being a bit older than they look and that was the inspiration for one of my other oneshots so far. That said, there will be some of the Sora side of him manifesting in a different chapter. That one will be more silly than this one since this is more Paimon silly than Sora silly.
> 
> Anyways, I do hope y'all enjoyed this chapter. Something more fun than solemn like the previous one.
> 
> now to work on more Osial Childe...


	3. of wind and darkness (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> surprise angst aeeeeey.

Darkness.

Perhaps Aether had way too much hope for the goodness in the Hearts of people to truly believe that every world would have its own form of Darkness.

(Lumine, though she was his Light, was always cynical like that, distrusting of every stranger where Aether sought to befriend the locals.)

But even here is the windswept lands of freedom, Aether could see that Darkness existed.

The pulsing purple, the thorn of poison, the wave of doubt, fear, despair, loneliness. 

All from one bejeweled dragon.

The boy who was with the dragon, a Light in his own way. But he wasn't enough, Aether knew. Not enough to dispel the deep rooted Darkness that had wormed its way into the Heart of such a powerful being.

The red tear left behind. A shard of power, corrupted by Darkness itself. 

"What's that you have there Aether?" Paimon asked, looking at the glowing gem in his hands. It pulsed violently, rejecting the world around it. But it was only a fragment, and a fragment of Darkness could only do so much. 

There weren't Heartless in this world. And purification of Darkness was never something purely born from the Keyblade.

Their Light, even before they had become Keybearers had always been what chased away the Darkness.

His hands closed around the tear, and a warm, barely noticeable light came from his palms.

Aether smiled, feeling the Darkness fade.

He could do this.

* * *

Darkness took many forms.

For Mondstat's people, in the wake of disaster, Aether found it was fear.

Fear of a dragon so powerful he threatened to tear the walls down with a beat of his wings.

Fear of a guardian who had been forgotten, and fear that the guardian intended to seek retribution, for those who remembered.

Aether found that despite dispelling the Darkness within that single tear, his power over Light was not enough to purify a creature so trapped in the illusion the Darkness of his Heart had woven around his mind. 

Not without great hurt. 

Not without great sacrifice.

(His starlight was not the same as the Light in Hearts, he found. It was a light. But it was not the same power. Sora wondered if maybe if he drew on his blade... but no. He did not wish to draw yet another harbinger of Darkness and destruction to this world, not when it dealt with its own threats.)

"And yet, I am glad you tried," a voice said from behind him, and Aether whirled around, startled.

It was the boy. The one who sung songs of the dragon and felt like the winds. The boy who was a Light. But who could not heal the Darkness. His smile was bright and kind. But Aether had seen that smile on his own too many times before.

(Fake. Hiding hurt, loneliness, pain, and a Darkness and fear that went unacknowledged.)

Aether looked at Venti and saw his past self. 

(And Sora could not help but cry for the God of Freedom, who remained unnoticed to his people who believed he's abandoned them.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome Venti to the party! Personally interpret him as a Sad Clown thrust into a role he is not prepared for and smiles because he can't be strong otherwise.
> 
> One thing to note, Sora!Aether sees Venti as someone capable of soothing Hearts and chasing away the Darkness within. He doesn't really have a term for Venti outside of a form of Light, because that is how he sees Kairi AND Riku.
> 
> Another note here is that I would like to say that usually, to purify a Heart consumed by Darkness, a Keyblade is needed. However this only applies to artificial Heartless i.e. the Emblem types. For Purebloods closer to Darklings, who fall to Darkness that is in their Heart, a Light willing and strong enough to chase that Darkness away is all that is needed, at least if we consider how Kairi seems to help Sora return to his true form in KH1, but also how Riku was already considered a strong Light as a child.
> 
> However Aether knows that he and Venti are not strong enough Lights to help Dvalin. But I'll go deeper into that in part 2 of this chapter really :D


End file.
